Friday, July 17, 2009

Defending his honor?

I just read in an article that Ramzan Kadyrov will sue Pamyat because of the leader of that group alleged that Kadyrov was behind the murder of Natalya Estemirova. I think defending his honor has little or nothing to do with it. Instead, this is a wonderful opportunity for the president of Chechnya to further intimidate and oppress those who care about human rights in the country.

It's a cynical and shameless maneuver - not the defense of anyone's honor.

4 comments:

Ani said...

What, meanwhile, is Kadyrov busy doing? http://bit.ly/bB0IO

HARDWICKE STAKES winner Bronze Cannon faces ten opponents, including Lake Poet, on the new dirt surface at the Moscow Hippodrome on Saturday.

The John Gosden-trained raider, who beat Campanologist by half a length at Royal Ascot, will be ridden by Jimmy Fortune in the colours of new owner Ramzan Kadyrov, the President of Chechnya, a man who is extremely keen to win big races.

This one carries a gross prize of seven million roubles (£135,049).

President Dimitri Medvedev will be at the races, a particularly important presence in view of the Government's current anti-gambling policies and, as a result, the course tote that has been shut all season will be open by special decree.
[...]

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tip, Ani. Not surprising to see Kadyrov at the race. He has his priorities straight. They resemble the priorities of any other mob boss.

The anti-gambling policy is new since I lived in Moscow. It would be interesting to see how it is applied. Remember how Heydar instituted his anti-gambling policy - to curb his son's wild nights at the casino?

Ani said...

Here's the NYTimes story on the abrupt closing of casinos in Moscow. Novy Arbat St. must seem pretty abandoned these days, huh? Can't imagine how this is working out....

http://bit.ly/3XMhe

Anonymous said...

I'll have to ask my Moscow friends. I'm not a fan of casinos - but this does seem a typically heavy handed approach by the Russian government. Also - typical that the people affected were uncertain about how the measure would be enforced. It's a chronic major problem for the doing business in Russia - arbitrary enforcement of the law.